15 Elements Of Social Media You Can Outsource

Most businesses have some form of presence on social media and depending on the size of the business that presence is managed by anything from the sole trader business owner a dedicated employee or even a team in a larger organisation.

When it comes to social media, however, there are many elements that need to be accounted for and quite often it takes having somebody really look at performance to make the most of it.

That said, if you’re tasked with creating content for numerous networks not least measuring what’s working or following up on comments, particularly where you’ve got a large or engaged audience, time can be somewhat in short supply.

So, in today’s post, we’re looking at 15 areas where you can outsource all or elements of your social media so that you can spend your time more effectively in the areas of your business that need you.

Social Media Management

Depending on where your audience spends their time you might be tasked with managing networks including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin, YouTube, Snapchat, or TikTok – the most popular options here in Ireland.  However, when it comes to the content you want to share, even with the same message across a number of networks you’re faced with differently sized images or videos that must not exceed a specified duration.  And, if you’re like most of us there are some networks you don’t personally like yet know your potential clients are there.  Outsourcing some or all of your social media can for many mean the difference between success or otherwise, particularly when the person(s) who take over your presence is experienced in this area and know how best to work networks, what the rules are, can create content more effectively and can give you back your time.  Definitely, something to consider especially where you’re busy online.

Strategy

Do you know why you’re on one network but not another?  Are you clear on the objectives your business has when engaging in any form of social media?  Did you realise you can work with somebody who can come up with an overall strategy for your social media, a framework for where it fits in with your business, and from where you make decisions on the activity?

Planning

Some people like to sit at the screen and wait for inspiration, others post when the right content comes in front of them or springs to mind but the most organised know what’s going to be included in their social media at the very least days in advance of it appearing there.  Depending on how you work you might outline your plan for content a month in advance or you may work with themes, with a wide range of apps available not to mention options within many networks, scheduling can make for an easier life and the ability to plan if of course, you know where to look and how it’s done.  You can have somebody work with you on an ongoing plan or alternatively ask somebody to train you, it’s amazing what you can pick up in just a couple of hours.

Graphics

Some businesses, particularly those that are service-based will use a lot of graphics in the course of their social media.  To ensure you don’t run the risk of copyright infringement any graphics you share should have been created specifically for the purpose of your business, you also get to brand them when they’re yours rather than ‘borrowed’ too.

Video

A lot of people feel the pressure to go live on their social media when it just isn’t for them but there are alternatives.  There is no doubt that video works but aside from appearing on camera you can work with your business, products, stock videos, or graphics – there are options for everybody.  And, trust us having worked with many businesses who prefer to stay behind the scenes we know you don’t always have to appear on screen.

Photos

We’ve all got cameras and can therefore take photos but in reality, not everybody is blessed with the gift of knowing what works or not.  Planning what you want to use in your social media will definitely make for a less stressful time when it comes to photos.  In many cases it’s worth booking a professional photographer too, their experienced eye can make a real difference.

Competitions

We’ve all seen options encouraging you to like, tag, share, comment, etc on social media?  Many of these competitions will do just the job intended but giving away a high-demand product just to get the numbers up could leave you with a whole lot of followers who aren’t right for your brand and ultimately may never interact with you ever again.  All of the networks have rules you need to adhere to but outside of that you really should think about your objective, if it’s to grow your audience, for example, would you like to secure email addresses legitimately in the process too? 

Ads

All of the networks are making the option to advertise more accessible and while it’s certainly convenient to hit the ‘boost’ button, there are alternatives that will allow you to get a better return on your spend and choose what you’d really like for your business such as growing your email list, generating enquiries, encouraging video views.  Generally, the fee involved in paying a professional will more than cover itself with the results.

Groups

Groups are a very effective means of nurturing a community with a common interest such as learning a new skill or living in a local community.  There are many tools available within the group’s option on networks such as Facebook or Linkedin that often aren’t used and that will enable you to grow your group in the right way.  During 2021 I undertook the Facebook Certified Community Manager programme and learned a lot about the options despite working in the social media space since 2009 – happy to talk to you if you’d like advice in this area.

Technology

When it comes to social media there’s always a new app in town and you’ll find that over a period of years those of us working in marketing and social media will change as we come across better options that are more suitable for different networks, simplify scheduling or even come at a more affordable cost.  While every network allows you to update them and many offer you the option to schedule, getting the right technology in place that works in a way that suits your business is something people don’t always think of and after a professional has gone through your options you’ll likely find you’re happy with how you move forward.

Shop

You can set up a shop on your Instagram or Facebook, you can find tutorials within the networks.  With options available that allow you to connect to stores on your website, if you’d like to make it easier for your audience to shop sometimes it’s worth asking somebody to ensure everything is set up properly so you can concentrate on your business.

Audits

It’s important to be aware of what’s happening on your social media so that you’re aware of what’s working or not.  However, sometimes an objective audit is an invaluable exercise that takes a look at what’s really working as opposed to what you enjoy.

Training

Whether you’re working alone or as part of a team you can have an expert train you or the individual members of your business on what needs to be done so you don’t have to take care of this with every new recruit or social media update.  As a marketer I undertake training on an ongoing basis, it would be unusual for a single week to pass without some form of training, and not necessarily so that I can offer a new skill but to ensure that I’m on top of my game because the world changes so quickly.  It’s my job to ensure I’m up to date and in your industry, you’re probably doing similar to the products and services you offer so leaving the social media training to an expert is a worthwhile investment for you.

Reporting

Quite often businesses know they’ve got analytics set up but can’t remember when they last logged in, others have had a quick look at Insights on Instagram and didn’t do anything further.  Having somebody manage your reporting, particularly on a busier social media profile can help you get the best return on your investment in social media because they’ll track what’s right for you and monitor the impact of changes to your strategy over time.

Copywriting

Whether it’s creating captions or becoming the voice of your brand online, you can have somebody do this for you so that you can save time, have a consistent tone of voice and ensure that you’re not left sitting with a blank screen if this is something you’re not comfortable with.

I know there’s quite a lot in this list but having had conversations with many business owners who feel overwhelmed or frustrated with the results I thought a post highlighting just some of what you can remove from your to-do list would be helpful because it might solve a problem you’ve been avoiding up to now.

At The Marketing Shop, we work with small to medium-sized business owners on Marketing, Social Media, and Web Design and can provide a solution for all of the above, with the exception of photography where we’re happy to recommend professionals we’ve worked with and know will deliver for you.  Get in touch if you’d like to have a chat, we offer a complimentary consultation which can be booked at https://calendly.com/debbie-ringwood/15min